


Valley Boy

by ouzell



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Jonathan getting sick of Tommy's shit, M/M, Monsters, Tommy being a little shit, monster hunting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 18:25:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17249189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ouzell/pseuds/ouzell
Summary: After turning down an oddly desperate invitation to go 'monster hunting' with Jonathan, Tommy decides to stop by the high school on his way to see Carol anyway- can't miss a noteworthy performance, right? But it turns out that the 'psycho killer' isn't alone.





	Valley Boy

**Author's Note:**

> If this is the first Jonathan/Tommy fic out there, I'm surprised, but proud

 

   “Why the hell would I believe _you,_ Byers?”

   “You kinda _have_ to believe me Tommy H., because if you don’t, you’ll get yourself killed. Now take this-” Jonathan shoves a bat toward him with nails lodged in it like porcupine quills, “-and stay close.”

   Now, as a dedicated bully and all around mean spirited person, this is not something he wants to hear. Following after the school psycho sounds like the last thing he wants to spend his Saturday night doing. If only that could protect him from whatever makes a terrible guttural growl in the hallway behind them. Fear in his eyes, Tommy takes the bat; he’s happy to forget about their argument and look to the ‘psycho’ for guidance. “What the fuck was that-??” And before he can even finish demanding an explanation, Jonathan is grabbing him by the arm and yanking him into a nearby closet. A hand is clamped over his mouth as he tries to speak, but he understands why after a moment. In the darkness, the thin bar of light flickering under the door is interrupted by what can only be feet- but whatever that _thing_ out there is can’t have feet, because it doesn’t sound human. It breathes like an alien, or a giant insect, or… a monster. Tommy’s freckled face is frozen in shock, even after the footsteps pass. There is a pause, then Jonathan lets go of him. The salt lingers on his lips, which he wipes with the back of his hand. Gross, Byers.

   His whisper is audible in the dark next to him. “ _Now_ do you believe me?”

   “We’ve gotta call the police- the feds, something-”

   “No, listen- we can’t tell anybody.” He pulls out a  _revolver_ of all things, and starts loading it with bullets.

   “Oh my God. I _told_ them you brought guns to school.” Jonathan scoffs at this, but it makes no difference. “I can’t believe you got me into this.”

   “Me? You drove yourself-” He stops and sighs shortly, shaking his head. “Look, we don’t have time for this. Just keep quiet.”  
   “We’re not going back out there-!”

   “Shh!”

   He shuts up, but not without a glare. As a reaction to his fear, he is disgruntled and indignant. If he has to be scared, he has to be a stubborn little pill, and that is that.

   The usually quiet boy leads him in the opposite direction toward the gym, keeping an alert eye open for any sign of danger. They’re just approaching the doors when an ungodly shriek sounds off to their right. Both of them look up, and a few yards away, there it is. The beast. It’s multi-petaled mouth opens to screech at them again.

   “Holy shit- holy shit!!”

   “Go, go, go-!” Jonathan shoves the door open and pushes Tommy through roughly.

   He runs across the gym as fast as his trembling legs can take him. Just as he’s nearing the door, a gunshot rings in his ears; he turns around, dreading what he might see. If anything happened to Jonathan-

   Footsteps pound toward him in the black, and then he’s grabbed again. “I said, _run!_ ” At the same time, they tumble out the back exit and into the parking lot.

   There is no time to hesitate, only to flee and hop into Tommy’s car. “Holy fucking shit…” With fumbling hands, he hurriedly tries to get his keys, but what he sees in the door mirror makes him drop them in his hesitation. It’s like E.T. and The Thing teamed up to make the most horrific, ugly creature possible.

   “For God’s _sake_ , Tommy H.!” Byers, exasperated, snatches the keys from his lap and sticks them in the ignition.

   He’s snapped back to reality in an instant by this; clumsily, he turns the key in the ignition and slams his foot on the accelerator. Knuckles white on the steering wheel, Tommy peels out of the parking lot at a startling speed. Even after they make it a fair distance, he still feels jumpy as hell.

   “You can slow down now.”

   He glances to Jonathan in consternation and clears his throat. “I know.” In fact, he goes so far as to pull over. “What now? ‘Cause I sure as hell don’t want to go to your house, but you owe me an explanation.”

   To his surprise, the other chuckles with disbelief. “Don’t _you_ owe _me?_ ” He reaches a hand over to take back the bat, “I just saved your life.” and steps out of the car just like that.

   “Hey-” But Jonathan shuts the door behind him. “What the hell!” Apparently, he’d rather walk home. Tommy blinks, then his shoulders fall and he scoffs in shock. There’s no way he can let Jonathan treat him like that! With a frown, he pulls out and slows to a crawl beside the weird kid. “You'd better give me some answers, shithead.”

   With a shake of his head and a roll of his eyes, all he says is, “See you at school, Tommy H.”

   He just scoffs and steps on the gas once more, making sure to swerve and give the punk a little scare. Unbelievable. This guy almost got him killed! They almost just died- _together!_

**Author's Note:**

> I might continue finishing this, but not really sure yet. I just can't get enough of these two


End file.
